On the day that the debt ceiling deal was announced, the flurry of comments from lawmakers included two that stood out, both for their candid assessments of the agreement, and for the stark contrast between them. While Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) declared that, "I got 98% of what I wanted;...

Widespread frustration among Americans is sure to play a major role in the November midterm election. The lingering recession and intensified partisanship in Washington have created rancor and concern which, in many cases, was effectively harnessed in primary elections by Tea Party candidates. Many votes were cast to protest the...

As Republicans resurrect their favorite mantra in seeking to reduce taxes for the wealthiest Americans, the debate on the Bush tax cuts is escalating. It includes the economic debate over the impact of the tax reductions for high-income earners, and the political debate over the message that would be sent...

The November midterm elections will come at a challenging time for the US. The economy is still troubled, the BP oil spill will still be inflicting damage to the Gulf, the national debt is mounting, and the Tea Party is fomenting social rancor with racial, anti-immigrant, and anti-gay rhetoric. At...

For every barrel of "free oil" discharged into the Gulf, the Clean Water Act establishes fines of at least $1,100 per barrel, and possibly as high as $4,300 per barrel, if the discharge is the result of gross negligence. These fines, and BP's overall financial liability, have been skewing BP's...

As the House of Representatives prepares to vote on health care reforms that President Obama made a priority and which the electorate brought him to the presidency to enact, it is vital to focus on the big picture. The American people -- and Members of Congress -- should recognize the...

President Obama's health care summit with Republicans and Democrats this week provides a profound opportunity to identify areas of common ground for health care reform. If all parties approach the summit with a focus on policy and a good faith commitment to collaboration -- rather than partisan, political gamesmanship over...

Job growth is a top priority right now for most government officials, regardless of party. But recent job-growth proposals have mainly offered measures to avoid layoffs, assist those already unemployed, and induce only incremental hiring, mostly in well-established industries. Although last week's proposal by Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Max...

One year into President Obama's leadership of the country, bipartisanship and post-partisanship remain central themes and objectives of his stewardship. But there is neither a set definition nor a rule-book for what these terms mean and how they are to be applied. The nature and extent of bipartisanship and post-partisanship...

When baseball and basketball players have gone on strike in the past, they eventually returned to the field and the court by crafting a hybrid solution that met the essential needs of both players and owners, rather than one side winning an "all or nothing" victory. A similar approach for...

Congratulations to Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) and Congressman Bart Stupak (D-Mich.). They have made their point and they have made it very effectively. The Democratic lawmakers, along with others, have utilized health care reform legislation as a vehicle to advance other issues. They have transmitted a very clear message to...

Without health care reform, premiums are expected to escalate dramatically in the upcoming years, pricing many Americans out of the market and into the ranks of the uninsured. There is also a rampant misconception that health insurance is stable and reliable, which is easily disproven by multitudes of coverage and...

President Obama's commitment to job creation and revitalization of the economy is highlighted by his designation of job growth as a top priority for the Administration, and his Forum on Jobs and Economic Growth. In addition to the myriad efforts by his Administration to establish, implement, and accelerate initiatives for...